A unique mask age 9 thousand years showed the world

Thursday, November 29, at the conference of the Association for the Study of Prehistory in the Israel Museum presented the world with a unique stone mask, found to the South of Hebron. The researchers suggest that the mask is related to the cult of ancestors, which developed in that period.

Roni Lupu from the office of Aniceta said that the mask could be worn during the rituals of ancestor worship.

“The mask is unique, not only in itself, but because of where she was found. The mask is carefully carved out of yellow limestone. On the edges of the mask, drilled four holes – perhaps in order to tie mask to face. It is a very high degree of processing, the mask is symmetrical, even on her cheekbones,” – said Lupu.

On Wednesday, the Israeli antiquities authority (IAA) announced that a rare prehistoric stone mask Dating from the Neolithic period (9,000 years ago), was discovered in the southern West Bank.

Made of pinkish-yellow limestone, the mask in the form of a human face, has four holes drilled around the perimeter.

Ms. Lupu admits that Holes drilled on the sides of the mask indicate that it also hung when exhibited on public display.

“The stone is well polished, and the face perfect and symmetrical, even the cheekbones. The mask shape of the nose and mouth with distinct teeth,” said archaeologist Ronit Lupu.

Archaeologist OMRI Barzilai says that these masks are associated with the period of agrarian revolution, the transition from the economy of hunting and gathering to settled and agricultural communities, and corresponding changes in social structure and ritual religious activity.

Also, experts noted that the mask was intercepted by a unit to fight the robbers of the Department of Antiquity of Israel among thieves, robbing archaeological sites. The mask, apparently found near Stumps Haver. All the details of the incident are not fully clear.

It is estimated that the world known, only 15 of these masks, and only two were accurate statements of where they are found. The remaining masks are scattered in private collections and their research is almost impossible. The finding indicates that the southern hills of Hebron in the distant period, was the center of production of such masks and religious activity in the region.

We will remind, the researchers were able to detect the sign on the wall that helped to name the exact date of the eruption of Vesuvius.

As reported by the portal “Znayu” at the bottom of the Black sea, archaeologists managed to find the oldest intact ship.

Also “Znayu” I wrote, archaeologists believe that allegedly found a ring of Pontius Pilate, which was discovered during excavations in Jerusalem 50 years ago.

About The Author

Dave Zakarian

Dave Zakarian has been a reporter on the news desk since 2013. Before that she wrote about young adolescence and family dynamics for Styles and was the legal affairs correspondent for the Metro desk. Before joining The Koz Post, Dave Zakarian worked as a staff writer at the Village Voice and a freelancer for Newsday, The Wall Street Journal, GQ and Mirabella.